Open for business: Talking customer service with Dr. Quantella Anderson-Noto, director of the hospitality management program at Southeast Missouri State University

Dr. Quantella Anderson-Noto's career aspirations started with an Easy Bake Oven and her first stay in a hotel. But her mother, who couldn't envision a career for her daughter in the hospitality industry, urged her to pursue banking, instead.

Anderson-Noto did work in banking for many years, ranging from an investment banking firm in Minnesota to a women-owned investment firm in South Florida. Many of her projects and clients were hospitality-related, and eventually, she decided to return to college and start her own career in that field.

Anderson-Noto earned a bachelor of science degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, a master of tourism administration from The George Washington University School of Business and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri - Columbia. She's worked in many areas of hospitality, including luxury hotels, a winery, restaurants, a convention and visitors bureau, a travel wholesaler and even as co-owner of a restaurant. Today, she's sharing her wealth of experience as an assistant professor and director of the hospitality management program at Southeast Missouri State University.

We spoke with Anderson-Noto on what she's learned about customer service over the years, and how technology is changing the industry.

__Business Today: What drew you to a career in the hospitality industry?__

Cutline:Dr. Quantella Anderson-Noto teaches a hotel and resort operations course on March 9 at Southeast Missouri State University. (Fred Lynch)

__Quantella Anderson-Noto:__ I tried to start my own restaurant when I was in elementary school with my Easy Bake Oven and my Big Burger Grill. I created a menu and put a sign on our basement door. It was unsuccessful. My first job in high school was at a diner in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where I was a waitress and kitchen helper. But what really drew me to the industry were my travels throughout the U.S. I fell in love with the first hotel I recall staying in, which was a Howard Johnson's in Hollywood Beach, Florida. I enjoyed being in a different place and having new experiences. The time I spent traveling the Southern U.S. helped me appreciate how special you can feel with a little hospitality. I was in search of those experiences after that, and when I found out I could earn money at it, I was hooked.

__BT: What do you enjoy about this field of work?__

__QN:__ I enjoy the pace of the work and the variety of people. I enjoy the experiences that come from dining and traveling, and the memories it creates. I love the changing trends and how innovative the hospitality industry is, yet how well it can maintain customs and traditions. I enjoy that there are many areas in the industry where my skills can be utilized, as well as lots of opportunities to have fun. Not all professions offer so much.

__BT: How has your firsthand experience in a hospitality career translated to your current role teaching students at Southeast Missouri State University? Any big lessons you've learned that you're now passing on to students?__

__QN:__ Having a good understanding of the fundamentals, hands-on experience and staying abreast of the industry enhances my ability to provide the students with reality-based education. I've been involved in so many facets of the industry that it allows me to help guide students to their varied career paths. I can relate to the variety of passions that they have.

As for lessons I've learned, they are numerous, of course, and I'm always learning new stuff. I do often relay two lessons to my students. One is that the customers' perception is their reality. If they perceive that their experience is bad, or good, then it is, and should be handled accordingly. A bad experience can stay with a person for a long time, so allowing a guest to leave very satisfied should always be the goal. I also remind them that hope is not a strategy. Many individuals have tried to "hope" their way to financial success, but having a plan and a strategy, particularly as an entrepreneur, is essential for long-term success.

__BT: What qualities are a must for someone working in the service industry?__

__QN:__ Essential qualities for service workers include product knowledge, patience, empathy, a commitment to excellence, self-awareness, a desire to learn, a pleasing personality, an ability to listen, and probably most important -- a sense of humor.

__BT: What are some of the career options in hospitality and customer service? What are some interesting things your students have gone on to do?__

__QN:__ The career options are plentiful. The hospitality industry encompasses the fields of lodging, food service (both commercial and noncommercial), catering, beverage management, casino management, amusement/entertainment management and event/meeting planning, which is one of the fast-growing segments of the industry.

Our hospitality management graduates have transitioned into some exciting careers. They are executive chefs and restaurant owners. They have positions in hotels, from general manager and sales manager to human resources manager. One graduate is a revenue manager for a major hotel company, and another one a chef at a resort in Colorado. There's a director of special events and a manager with a wine distributor. They are also at places like Booking.com, Georgia State Parks, in food service at a university in northern California and planning weddings in Hawaii.

__BT: How has the customer service industry changed over time? So many things have become automatic, bigger, faster -- what is the meaning of good service in today's world?__

__QN:__ Technology is changing the customer service experience. In class we recently discussed the ability to order your meal on a tablet/iPad in restaurants, which reduces the "touch points," or number of times you make contact with an employee. I've read articles that suggest the younger generation wants limited customer service and prefer technology, but I don't think they really mean that. They just want better customer service. Technology alone can't transform your day and experience from average to phenomenal. Customer service is also becoming more customized and personalized.

Customers are savvy and competition is fierce, and I think the more options customers have, the more service providers will have to raise the bar to retain their customers. It's important to provide a memorable experience, from a simple "thank you" at Taco Bell to customized channels on your TV in a hotel room. Customer service should be seamless and automatic -- not technically automatic, but it should happen before you have to ask for it.

__BT: What is your best overall customer service or hospitality advice?__

__QN:__ Be genuine. Listen to, and observe, the needs of the customer. And deliver them, sincerely. And when you fail, acknowledge it, apologize and do your best to recover. At one of the luxury hotels where I worked in D.C., saying "no" to a customer request was a last resort. Finding ways to fit what the customer needed with what we could offer was always a goal. Good customer service isn't always a script or fits neatly in a box. It's what the customer perceives it to be. Did I already say that?